I blushed and looked away. “You were sweet that night, I had the world’s biggest crush on you for years after. No one else could possibly live up to it.”

“Good.” He smiled, and I ached to kiss him again, but he pulled back. “You should have high expectations.”

My cheeks grew even hotter. I was sure I looked like a tomato. “Do you think he’d approve of us?”

“I’m certain of it.” He winked at me. “Two of his favorite people, together and happy. In fact, that’s why I wanted to do this here.”

He sank to one knee and reached into his jacket pocket.

“Oh my God.”

He popped the lid open. The elegant diamond inside nearly dazzled me. It was modern and sophisticated but not showy. In other words, perfect.

“Frank isn’t here for me to officially ask for his blessing, so I did the best I could to have him with us in spirit.”

I swiped at moisture in the corners of my eyes.

“I swear that as long as I live, nobody will ever love you as much as I do. I will cherish you every day, protect you with my every breath, and adore you with my whole soul. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” I whispered, pressing my fingers to my mouth.

Nearly ten years ago, in this very room, I’d decided that Ronan King was the ideal man. Now, I knew him so much better. He wasn’t some idealized hero on a pedestal. He was real and flawed, but he was mine. Perhaps Tom, my only remaining family, would never be supportive, but I knew that somewhere, Dad was looking down on us, and he approved.

“For richer or poorer, bad times and good, I’ll be at your side.”

One corner of his mouth hitched up. “I think you skipped ahead to the vows.” His expression softened. “I’ll be at yours too, Willow. Always.”

A single beam of light shone through the window and illuminated the photograph on my father’s desk. One of him with his arm around me as I smiled at the camera.

My heart leaped, and I met Ronan’s eyes. It was almost as though Dad were giving his support.

Ronan nodded to show he’d seen it too, then offered me the ring. I slipped it onto my finger. He grabbed me around the waist and spun me. I laughed, feeling giddier than I could ever remember.

Nothing was perfect, but my twenty-sixth birthday came pretty damn close.

Want more of the King’s Security series? You can order The Veteran, Kade and Sage’s story, here: https://books2read.com/the-veteran-ks

You can also get a free copy of Fighter’s Frenemy, a sports romance novella, by signing up to my newsletter here: https://BookHip.com/QVVLDBA

Also By Alexa Rivers

King’s Security

The King

The Veteran

Crown MMA Romance

Fighter’s Heart

Fighter’s Best Friend

Fighter’s Secret

Fighter’s Second Chance

Crown MMA Romance: The Outsiders

Fighter’s Frenemy

Fighter’s Fake Out